That Trail We Fuck On
by Poppelchen
Summary: Miguel & Tulio are a couple who end up in a polyamorous relationship with Chel and nobody can tell me otherwise. So here is what or rather who they are doing after the movie ended. It's a collection of semi-independent connected one shots most of which are PWP. Pairings: Chel/Tulio, Chel/Miguel, Miguel/Tulio, Miguel/Chel/Tulio. See A/N for more detailed info.
1. Author's Notes

_~I want you to read smut and fluff. Mostly smut. Only smut. Forget the fluff.~_

Index & A/N:

First of all: This is a collection of loosely connected stories taking place after the movie ends with various configurations of a polyamorous Miguel/Tulio/Chel relationship. You can read them in chronological order if you want but each chapter is more or less fine on it's own, so if you just want to skip ahead right to your favourite pairing/tripling you can do that (see chapter index for that). It's a mixture of PWP & humour/crack.

There is no discernible plot other than that our three protagonists are blazing a trail and fucking on it. Really, it's mostly smut with bits of scenery and banter...

ETA on 16/09/2017: Used to contain the bonus chapter "It happened in Seville" but the longer it was on there the less I liked it and the more I felt it didn't fit in with the rest. I couldn't bring myself to delete it altogether so now it's an independent story.

Chapter Index:

1: The bark is worse than the bite (Chel/Tulio)

2: The trail we fuck on (Miguel/Chel)

3: Actually, it was quite a nice sight (Miguel/Tulio, taking place the morning after 'The trail we fuck on')

4: We were having a moment here! (Bits of scenery. Miguel & Tulio working things out like mature adults. Cough. No smut)

5: Watch where you're coming (Tulio walks in on Chel&Miguel. More crack than smut. I don't know what I was thinking...)

6: It's tough to be a Tulio (Miguel/Tulio/Chel)

7\. Bonus chapter: Tarragonian Nights (So why can they never go back to Tarragona? Humour, adventure. Implied sex.)

Note: I re-watched RtED, got super obsessed and wrote most of these in a span of 2 weeks or so. Except for the Chel/Tulio bit...for some reason I managed to write everything but that (and surprisingly ended up with 2x Chel/Miguel O.o). Perhaps because it's canon and therefore less interesting? I don't know but I can proudly say that the collection is now 'complete' so to speak. Yay! :D

Have fun, leave feedback & don't judge me! I regret nothing!

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PS: The formatting here is THE WORST! If it's messed up don't blame me


	2. The bark is worse than the bite

"Let's take a break.", said Chel and reined Altivo in to a stop. Nobody objected.

It was early afternoon on the first day of the rest of their lives. Miguel could hardly believe it had only been yesterday that the three of them had left El Dorado and galloped off into the sunset. Yet here they were. Hungry, thirsty and in semi-dire need of lunch.

Their thirst was quickly taken care off – they had followed a river after all. And after cooling their feet for a while and enjoying not being in constant danger of disembowelment or worse for a change, they settled on rectifying their food situation by taking a detour into the jungle. The three quickly agreed that it was best to split up and search for food individually, meeting back at where Altivo was tied up after a set time.

Miguel took one look at Chel and Tulio heading out together and purposefully strolled off into the opposite direction.

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Chel was treading with the secure steps of someone who had lived here all her life, sweeping her eyes over the surrounding trees, checking for ripe fruits and peeking under promising looking leaves.

Tulio was making a valiant effort for about five minutes but soon had difficulties focusing on the task at hand. When Chel got down on her knees to confirm the edibleness of a group of mushrooms, his trousers tightened uncomfortably. It was the first time they were alone together in two days.

Chel stood up with a disappointed sigh, stretched and slowly combed her long hair which had fallen into her face back over her shoulders again. She turned her head back and smiled at Tulio in the certain way that made his stomach flutter.

„You know, Tulio", she said coyly. „The two of us haven't been alone ever since we left the city." You could have cut the tension with a knife.

„Oh yeah? Is that so?", he smirked and stepped up to her until they were nose to chest. He gently took her chin in his hand and tilted it slightly upward so he could look into her eyes.

„Funny, I hadn't noticed."

She put her hands on his chest and snuck them around his neck, digging her hands into his hair and scratching the back of his head. Tulio's eyelids started to flutter and he suddenly found it very, _very_ hard to concentrate.

„Are you sure you haven't noticed?", asked Chel innocently and brushed against the bulge in his trousers ever so slightly.

„Positive", said Tulio with only the hint of a squeak in his voice and leaned into the hand now stroking his neck. „Why, you got any plans?"

„Mmm, I don't know", said Chel and looked aside as if she were thinking about it. "I kinda thought you'd be all over me by now."

„Oh I will be all over you!", growled Tulio, grabbed Chel's waist and captured her mouth in a hungry kiss, smashing their bodies together.

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* * *

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Tulio walked her backwards until she was pushed up against a tree and Chel gasped when he thrust against her, pressing his erection between her legs. His hands were running all over her; hips, butt, breasts and then back as he was groping for for the thin cord holding her top in place while she dragged his shirt out of his pants. She slipped her hands under it, stroking the hot, sweaty skin underneath with nimble fingers to Tulio's groans.

He pulled down her top and took her firm breasts in his hands; Chel moaned when he rubbed the thumbs over her taut nipples.

Her hands clasping around his ass she broke their kiss, gasping for air. Burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her sweet scent Tulio began to suck on her neck, biting his way up and down the copper skin and caressing the spots with his tongue afterwards. He proceeded to the breasts, licking and sucking and circling the nipples with his tongue until she was practically dripping from desire.

Back pressed against the rough tree bark Chel tugged impatiently at her loincloth in order to loosen it, then lifted one leg and hooked it around his waist, pulling him even closer and grinding against his hard-on. Tulio took the hint, pushed his right hand between their legs and slipped them under the fabric. He almost whimpered when he felt just how wet she was. His cock was pulsing with arousal.

Breathing raggedly he stroked her and then slipped one of his long, smooth fingers inside her, thumb playing with the clit at the same time. Chel moaned loudly, unable to contain herself, when Tulio started caressing her in just the right place and started fucking her first with one, then two fingers. Grasping dark curls damp with sweat she pulled him into an intense kiss.

She wanted him now.

There was just one little thing left. She removed Tulio's fingers and took the hems of his shirt. He only had time to blink in confusion for a moment until Chel had already yanked it over his head and put it on inside out herself; tails hanging below her bottom.

„Bark", she explained and leaned forward until her lips almost touched his ear. „Now fuck me", she whispered.

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Tulio didn't need telling twice.

Not saying another word he undid his belt, letting the pants drop to his feet unnoticed, lifted the leg Chel had wrapped around him and thrust into her, both of them gasping at the sensation. Tulio kissed her again and quickly lifted up her other leg so he was now holding her up against the tree, supporting her completely as he moved in and out of her. Within seconds he was fucking her as hard and fast as he could, panting and biting her shoulder in desperation. It would leave marks.

Chel locked her ankles together behind Tulio's back, hands digging into his shoulders and he growled. Little beads of sweat were forming on his temples. They smashed their mouths together once more; kissing hard in between moans and gulps of air.

Pure lust was rushing through her with each of Tulio's thrusts, the arousal building up higher and higher until she could barely stand it anymore. Satisfaction was so close but it was just not enough, she needed more. Holding tightly onto Tulio with one hand the other flew down to her clit, pushing her over the edge.

Chel screamed when she climaxed, her string of 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' echoing through the woods as wave after wave of a powerful orgasm swept her away.

Tulio groaned at the rhythmic tightening of Chel's cunt around his cock but he kept going, determined to make her come again. His eyes were closed and he was biting his lip, trembling from the effort not to finish just yet when she climaxed a second time, gasping and moaning and throwing her head back with another scream.

Her whole body was pulsing with pleasure. Chel knew that Tulio could go on like this for hours if he really put his mind to it but she wanted him to come too, wanted to _make_ him come, to lose control and spill himself inside her.

Digging her hands into his hair she forced his head down into the crook of her neck, giving her access to an ear. Panting, she moved her lips over it, just barely touching. The feeling of her hot breath running shivers down his spine she traced the shell with the tip of her tongue teasingly.

"Oh God, Chel", groaned Tulio, his hands instantly clenching around her thighs almost painfully. His prick was throbbing. "You- that is..." _Unfair_ he wanted to say but found himself unable to speak, whimpering incoherently instead when Chel nibbled on the lobe.

She sucked it gently and then licked the inside of the shell again, slowly caressing it with her wet, hot tongue. When she sighed into his ear Tulio just lost it. Making a feral sound he tightened his grip even more and jerked his hips forward erratically, body twitching with the uncontrollable spasms of his climax as he ejaculated deep inside her.

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* * *

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Chel slid her legs to the ground carefully and leaned her head back against the tree behind her, closing her eyes and trying to catch her breath. She was still pulsing.

Tulio was leaning half on her, half on the tree as well, with his arms and forehead resting on the rough bark. He was panting just as heavily, taking large gulps of air like a drowning person. His cock was only slowly softening, still twitching occasionally from the intensity of his orgasm. Chel's thighs were sporting bruises from his fingers.

Neither of them knew how long they stayed like this, simply waiting for their racing heartbeats to calm down and the sweat on their backs to dry.

Tulio's knees were still shaking slightly when he finally pulled up his pants, closing the belt with clumsy fingers. Chel was still wearing his blue shirt. It was drenched. She looked incredibly attractive in it. He figured he didn't need it back right away. Or ever.

"Whew. That was...", he laughed and ran his hands through his damp hair. Chel smiled, traced his chin with her soft, small fingers and put them over his lips.

"I think we should get back", she said. "Miguel will be waiting for us." She winked at Tulio, turned around and started walking back with swaying hips.

It was a good thing that she took the lead because Tulio probably wouldn't have found his own head at the moment.

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* * *

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He did put his shirt back on in the end, grumbling about the tiny splinters and bits of fibre lodged in the fabric.

"Well better than in my skin", said Chel nonchalantly and stepped over a log. Tulio – who was still fiddling with his shirt and not paying attention – did not.

Chel's hand flew up to her face to hide her laughter but her eyes betrayed her. Tulio glared at her from between the leaves of the large fern he had fallen into.

"There you are!", said a cheerful voice suddenly. "I was about to send Bibo after you." Miguel's happy face appeared above Tulio like a very annoying sun.

"Who is Bibo?", he asked and picked himself up again, frowning at the twigs and chunks of foliage stuck to his shirt. Great. Now he could start over.

"Oh, that's what I named the little guy here" , said Miguel lightly and held up the armadillo. "I got bored. You two were gone for _ages_."

"Sorry", said Chel. "We kinda..." she glanced at Tulio "lost track of time." She didn't quite manage to repress a chuckle.

"And I see you didn't find any food.", said Miguel and didn't sound very surprised. "I mean, come on! Not even...a _banana_?" He smirked at Chel and raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh I found a banana", giggled Chel. "But I already had it on the way."

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* * *

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 _Their eyes lock. Their lips twitch. They try to outstare each other. They fail spectacularly._

 _As they all crack up at the same time Tulio catches Miguel's gaze. And when he sees the twinkle in Miguels' eyes his own twinkle right back, knowing that things will be alright._

 _Partners._


	3. The trail we fuck on

So here they were. On the road again, after he and Tulio had finally managed to climb back on the horse. The Road to Gods Know Where. Heh. Well some of the gods anyway, thought Miguel.

Not this one though, he had no clue and neither did Tulio. The only thing _Chel_ knew was that there were other cities of her people somewhere, but that was about it. They were probably somewhere down the road they were travelling on because why else would you hack a path through unforgiving jungle if not to lead somewhere?

It was at least a bit easier this time, what with Chel being able to identify edible plants and/or things that could kill you. Sometimes the only difference between those was cooking them for a few minutes. She'd showed him how, having soon figured out that Tulio was practically useless as a cook. Miguel on the other hand had always loved cooking. There was something very primal about feeding people. Nothing was quite like the feeling when your loved ones appreciate your food.

He mused about whether or not Chel counted as a loved one now. Supposedly she did because she was important to Tulio and oddly enough, to him as well. There had been ladies before, many times in fact, but in the end it had always been Tulio and Miguel, Miguel and Tulio. Tulio's crushes never lasted and as for him, nothing had ever came close to what he felt about Tulio. He had a feeling that things might turn out differently this time but he found himself not minding that at all.

Because while there were still a number of unresolved matters, namely 'Forget Miguel' and the fact that he really would have liked to stay in El Dorado, for now the forgotten found it had all worked out fine, one way or another. If it came to him they could go on happily riding Altivo like this forever, with Chel having the reins and Tulio holding onto her for dear life and he at the back, holding onto Tulio, just in case. A Tulio who didn't quite agree with Miguel's assessment of the situation and who kept whining about the lost gold for days but Miguel was used to his rants and so he tuned him out and hummed quietly to himself. Chel on the other hand was not used to it so she told him shut up, which to Miguel's complete and utter amazement he did.

Chel was really one of a kind. And as they both were about to find out, she was also the kind who would solve the unspoken issue of 'Chel is off limits only not really because Tulio gets to do her but not Miguel' in her own way.

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They made camp for the night. Miguel made a fire and cooked a batch of those pesky piranhas and afterwards they all laid down for the night – except Altivo of course, seeing as horses slept standing up – with Chel and Tulio on one side of the fire and Miguel and the armadillo on the other.

It wasn't very long after falling asleep that Miguel was awakened again by someone insistently tapping his shoulder. In his sleepy haze he thought for a moment it was Tulio but not only could he see him on the other side of the fire, he could hear him snore as well. So it must be Chel. Who, assured that he was awake now, put her hands on his chest, pushed him on his back and climbed atop him. Miguel gently caught her wrists.

„What are you doing?" he whispered.

It was a somewhat rhetorical question, he knew _exactly_ what she was doing but felt he had to ask regardless. She leaned forward over his shoulder so that the side of her face was almost touching his.

„You know exactly what I'm doing, Miguel. Don't tell me you don't like it.", she whispered back, the hot breath on his ear making him shiver. Very distracting.

Chel lifted her head again and looked at him amusedly.

„I've heard you talk, you know. 'What would the little voice be saying about Chel'?" she quoted, barely suppressing a giggle when she saw Miguel's face. The red light of the dying campfire concealed his blush but they both knew it was there.

„What about Tulio?", he asked casually but his hands had already started wandering up her legs seemingly of their own accord. Her very nice legs ending in even nicer hips. They made it difficult to concentrate.

Tulio'd be furious and then sulky and then he'd forgive him. He always forgave him.

„He was too tired tonight. But a girl has needs, you know", Chel said with a mischievous expression and wriggled her hips in a way that made Miguel's cock harden and twitch in anticipation.

Besides it was _her_ decision in any case, not Tulio's wasn't it? Obviously he wouldn't have made a move on her seeing as they were so together-y now but if _Chel_ came to _him,_ he certainly wasn't going to complain. Nice breasts, too. Somehow his hands had ended up fondling them.

„You know that's not what I meauuh..never mind", he ended when Chel started kissing his neck. At this point he gave up the last bit of his feeble pretence of resistance. The protocol had been more than satisfied in his opinion. Time to satisfy everything else.

„Okay", he said in a hushed tone. „But not here. We'll wake Tulio."

„Oh, I can be very quiet when I have to be", she said coyly and ran a finger along the neckline of his shirt. Miguel mulled this over in his head for a moment.

„Well. I can't.", he said. That wasn't entirely true. He didn't _want_ to.

„Alright", said Chel chuckling and got up. „Come on, then!", she pulled him up and after her as she went deeper into the forest with swaying hips.

Or at least Miguel imagined her hips were swaying because turning away from the fire it was pitch black and he couldn't see a thing. How Chel found her way was beyond him. Another mystery was how she managed not to constantly stub her toes. He hissed a curse when his foot collided with another root. He'd left his shoes at the fireplace.

Fortunately there was no need to go too far – after all the jungle was everything but quiet at night. Whatever sounds they made would by now surely be lost among all the rustling, tweeting, chirping and croaking coming at them from all directions.

He had thought they had been vaguely going in the direction of another one of the enormous trees and that turned out to have indeed been Chel's plan. There was less foliage between the massive roots and even a bit of moonlight shining through the canopy.

He perked up at this. With his eyes adjusted to the dark by now and the silver light of the moon he could see well enough again and he _liked_ what he saw.

Spotting a comfy looking spot a few steps away it was now Miguel who lead Chel. When they reached the place he'd picked out he smirked over his shoulder and – using the fact that they were still hand-holding to his advantage – turned around and pulled her in for a kiss in the same movement.

They soon had their arms wrapped around each other; with Chel burying one hand in his hair, the other slipping under his shirt and his own hands caressing her hips and butt. Miguel was a sucker for curvy women and Chel was no exception to this.

He pulled loose for a moment to take off his shirt and tossed it to the ground to double as a blanket. Experience had thought him that this also had the advantage of finding it again afterwards.

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Chel couldn't help but admire the fluency of Miguel's movements. How natural and at ease he seemed when he laid down and propped himself up on his left elbow; one leg stretched out, the other staying set up. He leaned back to look at her with his head cocked to the side and a lewd smile on his face. An invitation if there ever was one.

Returning a lascivious look of her own she took off her top and sank to the ground next to him. They kissed languidly, each lying on one arm and cupping the other's face in their free hand. Chel's naked breasts were just barely touching his chest. Miguel broke the kiss for a mere second to lick the thumb on one of his hands, then cupped a breast with it and circled the nipple with the wet thumb in a way that made a shiver run down her spine and her pussy swell with arousal. His other hand lazily stroked her head, wrapping strands of it around his fingers. Chel sighed and likewise ran her hands through the soft yellow hair that looked so exotic to her. Like a bird of paradise. Humming contently Miguel ran his hand along her side, closing around her behind and massaging it, stroking just where it met her thighs. The proximity of his hand to her cunt made her moisten in anticipation but he didn't go there yet.

Chel hooked a leg over his side and pulled them closer, groaning when she felt his hot, hard cock against her cunt. Miguel answered with a groan of his own and rubbed himself against her, giving her little moments of bliss with each thrust against her clitoris. He moved his hand to swiftly untie the cloth she was wearing. Or at least he tried to.

She chuckled at his confusion and moved his hands to the right knot. Miguel continued his quest with a slightly embarrassed look on his face but it was quickly replaced by lust when he finally had her completely naked. She took his hand and placed it between her legs. Miguel purred, as much as from her taking charge as from the wetness beneath his fingers.

Still kissing her he first slipped one, then two fingers into her and with a little guidance from Chel was soon stimulating that particular spot on the inside that made her sigh. She groped at Miguel's pants and started to unlace them, his breathing quicken as she did so. He inhaled sharply, breaking their kiss and his eyes flew shut when Chel wrapped her hand around his hard cock. He was slightly bigger than Tulio. She ran a thumb over the tip and moved the foreskin up and down slowly. He made a whimpering sound and pushed into her hand, involuntarily stopping the movement of his own inside her for a few heartbeats.

Chel bit his neck gently, tugged his dripping fingers out of her and gave him a little nudge. Miguel rolled over obediently, his blond hair spreading around him like a halo and she climbed on top of him. Miguel's caressed her breasts, playing with the nipples, twisting them between his fingers until she moaned. Chel leaned down to kiss him again, spread herself open with two fingers and took him in. Miguel sighed contently and with his hands on her lower back they settled into a nice, slow rhythm.

„Sorry.", said Miguel, his embarrassment clearly visible. „I'm afraid I don't have as much stamina as Tulio in this regard." His fingers moved in random figures on her hips.

„Aw, it's okay Miguel. Don't worry about it.", said Chel and slipped off of him, not quite able to hide the slight note of disappointment in her voice.

„You think you could-", she began but she had barely even started her question when Miguel had somehow already moved his body downwards in a swift motion so his head was now directly where his cock had been a second before.

„Hmm?", he waggled his eyebrows at her questioningly. The look on his face was adorable.

Chel chuckled and said „Yes please." And then, shortly after, her eyes growing large: „Oh. Oh!" She was suddenly _very_ glad that they had moved away from Tulio because there was _no_ way she would be able to keep quiet.

For someone who had never been with her this way before Miguel was working her pussy like a goddamn pro. Actually strike that, she had never had anyone this good before, prior knowledge or not.

He started slow, lazily stroking her outer labia a few times with just the tip of his tongue; a connoisseur getting a taste. Picking up the pace when he could feel her getting impatient he moved inwards and licked her with much broader, quicker strokes, circling her clitoris and sucking it lightly to the sound of her panting and moaning. Taking his cues from her twitching he increased both pressure and speed and tickled her clitoris directly, expertly stopping just before it became too much and moved lower again. Chel groaned loudly and grabbed Miguel's hair reflexively when he pushed his tongue inside her, twisting and turning it every which way. His fingers dug into her thighs as he held her steady and fucked her with his tongue, going in and out with quick jabs. Chel moved in rhythm with him, pushing herself down whenever he went in, hands pulling on his hair. She suddenly realized with how much force she was actually tugging it but he didn't seem to mind. Perhaps he was used to it. She didn't get to ponder this further because Miguel's strong hands suddenly stopped her dead in her tracks and instead of continuing to fuck her with his tongue he trailed it around her vagina tantalizingly, using only the tip. When she gasped and jerked her hips uncontrollably he played with her clitoris agin, increasing the pressure until Chel thought she'd burst with arousal. Circling, licking, sucking lightly, teasing her mercilessly. He nearly made her come then but purposely moved his tongue away a moment before.. Chel whimpered in desperation when his tongue dove into her again, caressing her on the inside with an excrutiating slowness.

„Migueeeeel! You fucking bastard I swear if you don't-", she cursed, digging into his hair again.

She felt his smug grin more than she saw it before he lapped her cunt from top to bottom in one broad stroke, gave her clitoris a single swift, glorious flick and made her come with a scream.

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Several orgasms later Chel laid sprawled on the ground, her cunt still twitching and throbbing and her chest heaving with every pant and gulp for air.

Miguel laid next to her with his head resting in one hand and the other one running through her luscious black her.

„I hope that made up for before", he said and somehow managed to look cocky _and_ cute.


	4. Actually, it was quite a nice sight

Tulio was furious.

He'd woken up with Chel wrapped around him the way they had gone to sleep but _something_ about her had been off. She'd seemed rather chipper but that wasn't exactly unusual, was it?

When _Miguel_ had gotten up Tulio only had to take one look at his face to know just what was going on. Miguel's face was an open book to him and that right there was the chapter where someone had gotten laid last night. Tulio knew this pleased smile like the back of his hand. Usually it was him who had put it there. That Bastard _._

He didn't say anything about it but _he_ knew that _they_ knew that he was royally pissed off. They could tell by his frown and the fact that he only spoke to them in short, clipped sentences.

The worst part was where he knew that he didn't actually have a right to be mad at either of them. They both fancied Chel. She fancied both of them. That much had been pretty obvious from the start and since he himself had broken their 'Chel is off limits' promise more or less right away, there was no reason why _Miguel_ should have to keep it. And it wasn't like they had never shared a woman before.

Yet he was still hurt and angry and angry about being angry. He sat on the ground, crossed his arms and leaned against the log conveniently located behind him. And sulked.

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Chel had just gone off with Altivo to collect breakfast and left them to their own devices under the thinly-veiled guise of them 'not having a clue and only getting in her way' and Miguel figured it was quite a while before she'd be back, so he plopped himself down next to Tulio and snuck a sideways glance at his still sulking friend.

„Sooo...you're still mad about me and Chel?", he said carefully.

„Yes.", replied Tulio icily, refusing to look at his companion.

„Well maybe I'm still mad about 'Forget Miguel'", said Miguel haughtily, locked his hands behind his head as a pillow and didn't look at Tulio either.

Tulio made a face.

„You know I didn't mean it like that. I was never going to actually leave you, you twat.",

Miguel gave a non-committal snort that implied he thought otherwise and kept looking into the distance. Tulio finally turned to look at Miguel and said in a much softer voice: „Why do you only ever listen to me when I say shit like that?"

„Well, you kinda always talk shit, so..." , answered Miguel, breaking into a smile. He waggled his eyebrows at Tulio, who couldn't help but grin back.

„Hey, I don't _always_ talk shit.", he insisted.

„Mmmm...I don't know about that, Tulio." The other man shook his head in disbelief. „But it's alright, I forgive you."

„I forgive you, too.", said Tulio and smiled.

„For what? _I_ didn't do anyth-" But he was silenced when Tulio kissed him. It had been a long while since they had done that. Too long.

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It had started in Seville. There had been a lot of alcohol involved because that was the way things went. No man would even breach such a topic in a sober state nor speak of it with anything other than disgust and righteous condemnation.

Not that they had actually spoken much. Words weren't needed anymore. No, they had merely fallen into bed in a state of drunken stupor. Fallen into _a_ bed. It had been Tulio's bed of course, in which Miguel had wrongly climbed although Miguel always insisted it had been the other way round, that Tulio had gone to bed with him.

It had been a shared room in any case, in a little inn in a seedy part of the town, so in the end it did not matter all that much.

The next day Tulio had woken with Miguel's arms wrapped around him for the first time.

And while from time to time either Miguel or Tulio would find himself a girl, they were partners, for better or for worse. A woman might come between them on occasion and sometimes purpose but they would always go back to each other in the end: to their best friend and partner in crime. To their lover.

And so Tulio kissed Miguel and Miguel kissed back and when he ran his hands through Tulio's hair he forgot all about being mad and so did Tulio, who slipped a hand under Miguel's shirt instead, knowing all the good spots.

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Miguel purred and hooked a finger into Tulio's shirt in order to pull the other man into his lap. He ran his hands over Tulio's shoulders, pushing off the jacket, then started to tug at the blue shirt so he could caress the hot, flushed skin under it.

Making pleased sounds and grinding into Miguel, Tulio broke their kiss and instead moved his mouth to Miguel's neck, slowly kissing and licking his way to the shoulders. He bit the soft skin lightly and was rewarded with even more purring and a grabbing of the buttocks as Miguel pressed his hot, hard cock against him.

Tulio groaned and rubbed his own considerable erection against his lover's. A mutual decision was made that the shirts needed to go and wasn't a horizontal position much more comfortable. The rest of their clothes followed soon after.

They kissed again passionately, this time with their bodies pressed together from head to toe, hands moving all over. Miguel's toes curled and uncurled periodically, something he always did unconsciously when he was aroused and totally out of it. Still he managed to breathe just so on Tulio's ears and trace the shell with his tongue; he knew it drove the other man wild.

Shivers running down his spine Tulio retaliated by using his long fingers to play with Miguel's nipples; those were his lover's secret spots. He pushed Miguel down on his back and switched from fingers to tongue, circled a few times to whimpering sounds from Miguel and then, with a grin on his face, wandered lower.

Miguel drew a sharp breath and threw his head back when Tulio gave his shaft a long, slow lick from bottom to top. His hands were running through dark hair as Tulio took him into his mouth and started sucking while rubbing his own erection against Miguel's leg. Both their breaths were coming in short, sharp gasps now and Miguel's toes were running wild.

„H..hold on", sputtered Miguel. „Turn around!", he gasped.

Tulio, knowing what Miguel was after, obliged immediately by moving around so his head was still level with Miguel's cock but his feet were pointing the other way now. It was their favourite position.

He let out a loud groan when Miguel leaned over and closed his mouth over the tip of Tulio's cock and started to suck it just the tiniest bit, with his tongue doing...he had no idea what Miguel was doing with his tongue but it felt amazing. It took an impatient hip bucking and discontent growl to remind Tulio that he, too, had a job to do.

For the next few minutes or possibly hours it was the blissful, blissful heaven of hot, wet mouths and hands and Miguel and Tulio and Tulio and Miguel until Tulio couldn't hold it any longer and came hard, crying out Miguel's name as he did and Miguel kept sucking and swallowing until there was nothing left, like he was even taking the air from Tulio's lungs.

And when Tulio had caught some of his breath back he took Miguel in as far as he could and went up and down with his tongue, caressing the balls with his fingers at the same time because Miguel loved that and it didn't take long for his lover to finish as well, with the high-pitched squeal of 'Tulio!' that Tulio always found so endearing.

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* * *

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Afterwards the two of them lay panting and laughing next to each other in the dirt, the sweat on their bodies decidedly not drying and Tulio's hair a complete mess. Stupid humidity. With their heads touching and their hands intertwined they were nevertheless basking in the reverence of each other. In Miguel's opinion that was much better than mere _gold_ anyway but he kept that to himself.

„Oh God that was good. So. Good.", said Tulio between fits of laughter and heavy breathing. „I missed that.", he added and closed his eyes with a content sigh.

„Me too.", said Miguel, who had moved his Tulio-free arm under his head as a pillow and looked wide-eyed into the intense blue of a perfect cloudless sky above them, his face trying to out-beam the sun.

„So...are _we_ good, too?", asked Tulio carefully.

„Oh yeah. We're good. Very good."

„Good."

Things were back to normal at last. Well, almost. They kept silent for a while until Tulio opened one eye just a fraction – how could Miguel just look into the bright light like this – and spoke up again: „Do you think she'd mind? _Us,_ I mean."

„You mean _us_ , as opposed to _you_ and _me_?"

„Yeah."

Miguel shrugged and snuggled closer.

„No idea. I don't think she'll run away screaming, if that's what you mean, but...I have no idea what her people think of such things. Do you think we should tell her?", he asked and glanced at Tulio with a slightly worried expression.

Tulio raised his eyebrows and pondered that for a few seconds. He was just about to answer when a voice behind them said: „Oh, I don't mind. Actually, it was quite a nice sight."

Their startled scream could be heard for _miles_.


	5. We were having a moment here!

For the last few days the three of them, or five if you counted the animals, had been following a small path that had lead steadily higher into the mountains, with giant trees gradually giving way to smaller ones and the air becoming notably thinner and cooler. The days were warm enough in the humidity of the rainforest but at night they were now always lighting a fire. The three of them slept huddled together with Chel in the middle, who was starting to shiver in her light clothes.

It was clear to them that they needed to find a way downwards again soon and go back into the warmer valleys but for now the path had stopped ascending and seemed to go around the mountain and so they kept following it, taking turns leading Altivo at a slow pace when the ground became steep and him carrying all of them at a gallop through the ferns and bushes when it wasn't.

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* * *

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They seemed to be on the right track or at least a track that was right for _them_ when it began to slightly descend again, joining a river coming from another direction and running parallel to it. Soon they could hear the faint roars of what they knew were waterfalls in the distance. It became steadily louder until the path finally found it's way through a small gorge between high walls of red stone.

With Tulio and Chel sitting on Altivo and Miguel holding the bridle they walked around the bend in the trail and were rewarded with a truly magnificent sight: They were standing on a mountain ridge facing a sheer cliff a few hundred meters to the side of the river they had seen through the trees; an immense canyon opening up before them. White water was rushing down in hundreds of cascades of all sizes; pooling together again to a river that was visible only as a small, glittering band barely the width of their fingers.

Narrow hanging bridges were spanning over, under and sometimes through the waterfalls in a zig-zagging pattern, leading down to the bottom of the valley.

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* * *

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The valley was even more beautiful after night had fallen, with the waters sparkling in the light of a million stars and their steady roar being strangely soothing despite the volume.

After freeing Altivo from his reins for the night, knowing he would not run off, they had lit a fire and Miguel was expertly preparing their dinner with Tulio lounging about watching him.

Chel had wandered off for a bit and climbed across the first of the many rope bridges connecting mossy ledges protruding between the individual streams flowing down into the gorge.

Her ledge was a large one, slightly protected from the spray of the waterfall by an overhang and a lone tree growing on it.

„Tulio! Miguel! Look! You can see the whole sky from here! It's beautiful", she shouted over the sounds of the waterfalls. She waved at the two men to come join her, a mere shadow in the darkness under the tree.

Miguel and Tulio glanced at each other. There was a certain expression in Tulio's eyes.

„I think I need to watch the fish, so it doesn't burn.", said Miguel and turned his attention back to the fire.

Tulio frowned sightly but got up and braced himself for the rickety rope bridge of doom and deadly terror. By the time he reached Chel his knees were shaking but she was kind enough not to mention it.

„Miguel's watching the fish", said Tulio and wrapped his arms around her from behind, putting his head on her shoulder. She silently raised an eyebrow.

Together they looked at the sky stretched above them, black velvet sprinkled with a thousand diamonds. The milky way clearly visible. Tulio searched for constellations he knew but he did not find any. Was it really the same sky here, reaching all the way back to Spain? Chel shivered in a slight breeze and he hugged her tighter, covering her folded arms with his own.

„It's beautiful", she whispered again and pressed closer to Tulio.

„Not as beautiful as you", he said and pressed his lips to her shoulder lightly.

Her eyes grew wide and she blushed, bowing her head slightly. Nobody but Tulio had ever said such things to her before.

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* * *

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They were sitting with Miguel's legs dangling over the edge and Tulio leaning back on his arms. It was the crack of dawn but the view before them was worth every second of lost sleep. Before them stretched an endless sea of red mountains and green treetops shimmering golden in the first light of the rising sun and the river meandering through it all like a silver snake. Flocks of tiny birds in all the colours of the rainbow were flying over the canopy, their chirping and tweeting carrying just wide enough for them to hear it.

Miguel took a deep breath and sighed contently, drinking it all in with his eyes while Tulio had just closed his. Feeling the wind tousle his hair and listening to leaves rustling in the morning breeze and the gurgling of the waterfalls he was simply enjoying the moment for now, something that did not come easily to him yet was as natural to Miguel as breathing.

Chel was not sitting with them this time. Glancing over his shoulder Tulio could just about see her legs out of the corner of his eye. She was still asleep, peacefully curled up on the ground like the armadillo she was holding and they did not have the heart to wake her, not even for a beautiful sight like this. There would be another sunrise tomorrow.

„You know partner, if you want to be alone with Chel sometimes you just have to say so.", said Miguel, snapping him out of his tranquil state.

Tulio sputtered some unintelligible words before he settled on: „What? What do you mean, why are you saying that?"

Miguel turned towards him and put his arm around Tulio's shoulder.

„Well, you seem to be a lot more comfortable kissing her or touching her when you think I'm not looking. Or even there. And you look away when I do anything with her." He paused. „I mean, I know you mind an audience more than I do but...it's not like we've never seen that before. Back in Spain, when one of us had a girl over we just told each other that we needed the room and that was that. What's going on, Tulio?"

Tulio felt his face flush. He hadn't noticed Miguel noticing. Not quite looking at him he took Miguel's hand that was dangling over his shoulder in his own and started playing with Miguel's fingers absentmindedly.

„It's just...well, you know.", he mumbled and looked away.

„Actually, I don't.", replied Miguel and looked confused.

Tulio whipped his head around incredulously.

„You don't _know_?!", exclaimed Tulio in the same tone of utter disbelief he had used on the beach back then, when he had found out that Miguel still had the bloody map.

Tulio turned, grabbed a dumbfounded Miguel by the shoulders and shook him.

„You, you...", was the only thing he could say. He abruptly let go of Miguel again in order to collect himself. Something he had to do regularly around his partner. „Ok, ok. I'm fine.", he said and put his hands up when Miguel tried to say something.

„Has it occurred to you that", Tulio said very deliberately and moved his hands in a vague swirling motion in the hopes of getting Miguel's thoughts going. „Miguel, I've almost _lost_ you forever because you've been _jealous_ of Chel!", he blurted out.

„Oh come on, Tulio!", snapped Miguel loudly and waved an arm about. He knew Tulio was derailing, that this wasn't the _real_ reason for his sudden shyness but some things you didn't just let go like that. „That isn't even _remotely_ what happened! I was never jealous of _Chel_ , I was mad at _you_ because _you_ were being a dick and broke our promise and you know it!"

„Fine! Fine, I was being a dick.", admitted Tulio, rolling his eyes and making placating gestures with his hands. „And while we're at it; why don't _you_ admit", he began, throwing an arm around Miguel and pulling him close. „that you were being an immature idiot about it? How about that?", he said and poked Miguel in the chest several times.

Miguel grumbled, folded his arms and tossed his hair back.

„What? What was that?", said Tulio holding a hand up to his ear.

„Fine, Tulio, I was being an immature idiot about it. But I thought we were past this. I thought we were _partners_ again.", said Miguel in a slightly dejected voice.

„We are!"

„So why are you weird about seeing me and Chel or me seeing you?"

„I'm not... _you're_ the one being weird about it!", said Tulio and threw his hand up in exasperation. A thought crossed his mind. He narrowed his eyes. „Wait a minute...you just want to _watch_ , is that it? You _little pervert_!", he guffawed.

„I... I'm not a pervert!", protested Miguel but Tulio could see that his ears were reddening.„How dare you impugn my honour!", he shouted and sprung up pointing a finger at Tulio in mock offense.

„Your honour my ass!", said Tulio who had followed suit and shoved him. „That's what this is about, isn't it. You just want to watch me fuck Chel.", he said and doubled over with laughter.

But Miguel was not to be subdued so easily.

„Oh yeah? As if _you_ don't usually love to watch _me_ fucking! So what's different this time?", he asked with raised eyebrows. „Someone being insecure about being directly compared? Usually the girls don't stay long enough to do that.", said Miguel and smirked.

„Oh, you...", said Tulio, finger pointing angrily. „Low. Loooow blow." But something in his eyes or his tone must have conveyed regardless.

„Hang on, I've struck a _nerve_ there _,_ haven't I!", said Miguel gleefully but when he saw the expression on Tulio's face he dropped the friendly banter. „Is... _is_ that it?", he asked put a hand on Tulio's shoulder, lowering his voice back to a normal level.

Tulio squirmed under Miguel's questioninggaze, looking at everything but his partner. „Maybe a little bit?" He ran his hands through his hair. „It's not...it'll just take some time for me to get used to it, alright? And it's like you said: usually the girls aren't here to stay.", he said, scratching his neck in embarrassment and finally catching Miguel's eye who was smiling at him with a look in those damn, charming puppy eyes that just _understood._ It was almost as bad as The Face.

„You know, Tulio", began Miguel and snuck an arm around Tulio's waist, who put his arm across Miguel's shoulders. Together they looked out into the valley again where the sun was almost visible in it's entirety now; with Tulio shifting his weight to one foot and leaning on Miguel as he so often did.

„I can usually hear you two even if you do it way off." He shot Tulio a sideways glance. „I don't think you need to worry about your performance."

Tulio raised a corner of his mouth in a lopsided grin, caught Miguel's eyes and then rolled his own when he saw the glint in them.

„You already watched didn't you?", he sighed, his voice the epitome of capitulation.

„Hey, _Chel_ said she didn't mind.", said Miguel and the look on Tulio's face was worth at least half of Spain.

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* * *

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When the sun had gone up completely the two men turned their backs to the valley and walked arm in arm back to Chel who was sitting cross-legged in the grass, her head bent and combing her hair with her fingers. They stopped dead in their tracks.

„You've heard everything, haven't you.", said Miguel.

She didn't answer but behind the curtain of silky black hair her shoulders were shaking like rattles from her efforts not to burst out laughing.

„Oh for f- ...We were _having_ a _moment_ here!", said Tulio and threw his hands in the air.


	6. Watch where you're coming!

Chel might have known this since earliest childhood, but Miguel and Tulio had learned the hard way that you did not sleep right next to the water unless you wanted to be eaten alive by mosquitoes.

So they had taken to get water from somewhere not-their-sleepingplace with the gourds that Chel had expertly hollowed out for that purpose. They weren't proper calabashes yet she had told them; they would need to be dried for a good long time for that, but they had to do for the time being, even if the water tended to smell foul after a while and couldn't be kept in there too long.

In any case, it was Tulio's turn to fetch it and it therefore came as no surprise to him that he was meandering through the jungle on his own, carrying a stick across his shoulders from which four improper calabashes of fresh water were hanging. The horse was a surprise.

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* * *

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„Altivo? What are you doing here?", he frowned. After all the place where he had left the others was still a number of fern trees away and Altivo didn't usually wander off too far. The horse snorted and whinnied in a way that he couldn't quite interpret. Tulio's eyes widened in sudden angst and he whipped his head around to the direction of the campsite. „Did somethi-" He didn't even get to finish the question before he was interrupted by a loud scream. It was Chel.

It was also the good kind of scream. The one you really like hearing. Followed by a stream of „Yes! Yes! Yes!", in what he instantly recognized as Miguel's fucking voice.

His face fell.

„Oh.", he said.

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* * *

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Tulio considered extending his water-getting trip but the rumbling of his stomach was a definite no. He wanted diner, fucking partners fucking be damned. Before he left he turned his head to Altivo and said sympathetically: „Well, I'm going back anyway, but I guess you can stay here if you want." After a moment's thought he added: „But don't wander off _too_ far, you hear me?" He shook a finger warningly. „Miguel would kill me." He felt a bit silly talking to a horse like this but on the other hand he could swear it's neighing sounded like agreement.

He pushed his way through the foliage to ever louder sounds of ecstasy until he reached their place for the night.

Chel was on all fours, wearing nothing but her top. Miguel, sans shirt but with his pants still pooling around his feet was kneeling behind her. He was fucking her hard, with one hand clasping a hip and the other between their legs, stroking her. Tulio smirked to himself. It _was_ kinda hot seeing his lovers like this, especially when they didn't even notice him.

He admired the view until something caught his attention that instantly evaporated all the pantsfeelings he might have had.

„Hey!", he yelled, which instantly made them jump out of their skins and nearly fall over.

„What the hell do you think _you two_ are doing?!", he said angrily and set the calabashes to the ground. Miguel raised an eyebrow at him.

„I am fucking Chel.", he said coolly. „Or is that not allowed? Do I have to ask your permission to get time alone with her?" His voice got louder and sharper towards the end with his temper clearly rising. This was still a somewhat sore spot.

Tulio had never thought it possible that one could employ the phrase 'fucking defiantly' and have it be an accurate description of what was happening but that was _exactly_ what Miguel was doing. Chel, who was currently in no condition to participate in the conversation, waved an arm vaguely in the direction of her behind.

„Uuuh...what...oooh...what he said", she managed.

Tulio smacked his hand on his face in exasperation and drew it down over his gritted teeth, forcing himself to stay calm.

„ _Miguel_ ", he began. Pointed look. Then crossed his arms and said with as deadpan an expression as only Tulio could muster: „I'm not mad at you for fucking. I'm mad at you for _Fucking. My. Food!_ "

That did get them to stop.

„Say what?!", they exclaimed in unison and stared at him.

„You" Tulio pointed his two index fingers at them. „Are Fucking. _My_ " He pointed his thumbs at himself. „ _Food_ " He looked demonstratively at something beneath Chel's knee.

They glanced down. Squashed under Chel's leg was a large leaf and the pathetic mushed remains of what had been the assortment of fruit and berries Tulio had picked out for himself earlier.

„Oh.", said Miguel as he realized what had happened, anger being rapidly replaced by a guilty expression.

„Oh! Oh no!", said Chel and her hand flew up to her face. „Oh Tulio, I'm so sorry. I thought I felt something squishy..."

„You're not making this better.", Tulio replied flatly, arms crossed again.

„We're...we're really sorry.", said Miguel and at least had the decency to look properly contrite.

„Oh no, no no no, it's quite alright", said Tulio snootily and waved a hand in mock generosity as he walked over to where he had spotted two more leaves filled with various edibles. He flopped down on the ground and pulled them towards him. „I'll just take these." He took a bit of fruit from what he knew was Miguel's 'plate' because it didn't have avocados and started to chew, pointedly staring at them with a raised eyebrow, _daring_ them to complain.

„Oh, don't let me keep you", he said and waved at them with a way too broad smile on his face as he scooped up another handful of berries – this time from Chel's leaf – and popped them into his mouth ostentatiously one by one. „Carry on."

„Tulio-", Miguel began and attempted to slip out of Chel but was stopped by her. She was obviously not impressed by Tulio's act.

„Hey, _I'm_ taking him up on that offer.", she said, cocking an eyebrow. „I'm not done yet."

„Oh, ok. Um..", said Miguel, clearly torn between wanting to apologise to Tulio and very much wanting to keep going. He turned to Tulio and gesticulated vaguely towards Chel. „Do you...do you mind...?", he asked.

„Seriously? _Now_ you're asking me?!"


	7. It's tough to be a Tulio

Things were much better after Tulio and Miguel had 'talked it out' and the three of them were beginning to settle into a comfortable routine.

Chel found herself fitting in with the two men as naturally and organically as if they had always been a group of three, hardly being able to imagine it differently anymore. She knew now that Tulio would have been miserable without Miguel and that loving the one meant loving the other and that was fine with her because Miguel was the easiest person to love and she found herself falling for him as much as she had fallen for Tulio.

Sometimes she still had a hard time believing that it had really worked out like that. When she had fled the temple with the golden mask in the hopes of making – and most importantly keeping – her life elsewhere she never would have imagined that mere days from that point on she would be riding into the sunset with two devoted lovers.

Well at least they were devoted to each other, she mused, smiling to herself. Fitting in or not there were still moments when she felt like an outsider. When they shared an inside joke, a certain grin, their weird-ass special handshake. How they knew each other's bodies inside out and the way Miguel looked at Tulio when he flew into one of his rants. When a glance was enough to know what the other was thinking or when Miguel could get Tulio to do almost anything by making The Face. (She didn't blame him. It was a damn cute face)

But there were so many other moments too, like the day Tulio had gone to fetch water and come back with her favourite flowers. The time when Miguel had innocently put his head on her lap while she was kissing their shared lover and then showed her the secret spot where said lover was _really_ ticklish. Moments when Tulio would smile at her in the dopey way he only smiled at her. Moments when Miguel would see her questioning look and his eyes would lighten up and he'd excitedly tell the story of The Chick Pea Incident or What Happened In Cádiz or why they could _never_ show their faces in Tarragona ever again.

'Seriously.', Tulio had said with a look of terror on his face before Miguel had even begun to narrate. ' _Never. Again_.' And he had rubbed the spot on his butt where a scar like half a hoof print was still faintly visible and when the tale was over and she knew why Chel had laughed for ten minutes straight until Tulio had to start kissing her just to shut her up. The horse had just kept on nickering. Things would be alright.

They were good lovers too, both of them. What Miguel was capable of with his tongue was only rivaled by what Tulio could do with his fingers and their combined efforts were usually second to none. Chel loved the way they were able to share her as freely and easily as she shared Tulio with Miguel and Miguel with Tulio. The three of them were equal partners in every sense of the word.

There were, however, times when it was perfectly appropriate for two partners to gang up on the third...

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* * *

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„Ok I don't care if it's only noon. I'm done!", exclaimed Tulio after they had finally hacked their way through a particularly thick piece of rainforest, moved his arms into a cross and then swung them swiftly apart again in the universally understood gesture of Fuck No.

„Break. Now."

Chel and Miguel, who was leading Altivo, looked at each other and shrugged. They were not quite as wiped out as Tulio but then they had not fallen into the river (twice), been stung by numerous large insects (which for some reason only went for Tulio) or been hit on the head by a surprisingly heavy cocoa bean (monkey).

The small clearing they had reached looked good enough, water was nearby and it wasn't like they needed to be anywhere. There was what looked on first glance like a medium sized rock overgrown with moss in the middle of the glade; though upon closer inspection by Chel it turned out to be a stone square adorned with weathered writing and symbols of various plants and animals on it. What was still readable indicated some kind of signpost. Perhaps this had been a resting place before though it didn't seem to be in use anymore. Chel took it as a good sign anyway and so did Bibo the armadillo, who immediately made itself at home on it.

Tulio didn't care about any of this.

„Argh, what a day", he lamented and collapsed on the ground next to the stone, burying his face in his hands.

Chel and Miguel looked at him with pity and didn't ask him to help with anything.

Miguel went to collect some firewood for later while Chel took their makeshift saddlebags off of Altivo and fed him some fruit, before – to Altivo's disappointment – she put the rest of them out of reach. Then both of them went to refill their water.

After that there was not much else they could do for the time being, except perhaps search for more food. But if they were honest they didn't mind a break either. Thus they both plopped down on either side of Tulio, who had not moved from his spot the whole time Chel and Miguel were bustling around, and was lying there with outstretched arms and closed eyes. Chel nudged him gently with her foot and received a miserable groan.

„Oh come on, Tulio!", said Miguel cheerfully, leaned against the stone pillar behind him and closed his eyes against the midday sun coming through the leaves. „It can't be that bad."

„Did _you_ fall into the piranha infested river? Twice? Got stung by whatever hellish bug got me? Had a monkey throw a cocoa bean at your head? No? Didn't think so."

„Well if you put it like that...", Miguel conceded and looked at Tulio sheepishly. He put a few stray hairs behind Tulio's ear and started slowly petting his head. It took Chel considerable effort to hide a giggle but then she followed suit with the petting.

„And we're _lost._ ", said Tulio with a sigh and leaned into their touch.

„We're not lost, Tulio!", protested Chel. „We just don't know where we are! But that's half the fun, silly! It's an adventure!"

„Mhmm." Miguel nodded in vague agreement while he was playing with a wisp of black locks, carefully avoiding the slight lump stemming from the cocoa bean. Tulio shot them both a death glare.

„Well _I'd_ like this adventure to get us somewhere. Preferably somewhere with gold and a bed and gold and proper food and gold and..."

„Oh shut up, Tulio!" Miguel rolled his eyes, though more amused than annoyed. „We just found a _signpost_! That _has_ to lead us _somewhere_!"

„Well, what if it leads us to _wherever Cortés is headed_?", said Tulio and sat up abruptly, his eyes widening as he realized the terrible possibility. Here we go again, thought Chel as both she and Miguel and rolled their eyes at each other.

When they had encountered signs of Cortés army having come through they had made a point of walking in a completely different direction so while Tulio's worries weren't completely unfounded he was as usually making a mountain out of a molehill. They would need to find some kind of civilization sooner or later – unless they wanted to spend the rest of their lives living off the grid in a remote rainforest – but that didn't mean they were required to _stay_ there.

„Tulio, relax", said Chel as he rambled on. „You worry too much."

She caught Miguels' eyes again behind Tulio's back. They suddenly had this particular glint in them. He jerked his head at Tulio and made a gesture with his hands that Chel didn't recognize at first. She frowned at him and he did it again, slower this time and waggling his eyebrows. When she identified the movement as sign language for 'massage' the maravedi dropped: Breaking into a sly grin of her own, she shuffled closer and signaled Miguel to move behind Tulio who was stuck in a full-on rant about all the horrible things Cortés could do to them and didn't notice anything that was going on around him.

Miguel slipped behind their friend, put his hands on Tulio's back and started to massage a particular spot between spine and shoulder blade with his thumbs. It stopped Tulio mid-rant.

„Oooh...ooh that is gooood...bit low-...oh yes", was all he could mutter as Miguel worked his magic, a ridiculously smug look on his face.

Chel used the situation to her advantage and quickly climbed onto Tulio's lap before he could protest. The legs needed sorting out a bit but after a few tries and with Miguel's help – Tulio being a useless puddle of pure pleasure by now – she managed to position her legs between theirs'.

„Are...are you guuuh guys...trying to...haaaa...shut me...uuuuh shut me up", Tulio asked, his eyelids fluttering open and closed as he gripped Chel's calves for support and tried to stay coherent enough to speak.

„Well, maybe a little bit", said Chel and leaned in, cupped his face in her hands and started kissing him; every slow, deliberate move of her tongue against his better than the one before.

Next to her Miguel purred: „Is it working?" into Tulio's ear and began to nibble on his lover's earlobe, an action that earned them a pleased sigh and more fluttering eyelids. „I'll take that as a 'yes'", said Miguel with a hint of amusement and moved his mouth down to Tulio's neck, sucking and biting it just so. His hands were now massaging the lower back, rubbing the pesky bug bite with a calloused thumb to Tulio's pure and utter bliss.

„Poor Baby", said Chel when she broke their kiss for a moment under slightly protesting sounds. „You had such a crappy day." She wriggled on him and stroked his head and face. „Miguel and I will make you feel better. Isn't that right, Miguel?"

Catching the twinkle in the blonde's eyes she leaned over Tulio's other side and started kissing and licking his neck as well, her hands stroking his chest. Tulio sighed contently between them. He was quite hard already, a fact that never failed to arouse Chel, as did the thought that Miguel was likely in this state as well. She could feel herself getting wet.

„Mhmm.", murmured Miguel against Tulio's skin in agreement. „Just relax", he said, stroking his arms and hands and massaging the palms, causing him to sigh and moan. „All you have to do is sit here and let us do the work." There were only incoherent sounds from Tulio.

Miguel caressed Tulio's shoulders and upper arms one last time and then switched to Chel, making use of the fact that she was pressing so close right now. She sighed when he lightly pushed her long hair aside to stroke her back with his fingertips and hooked them playfully into her top, dragging it down a little.

Her arousal rising she complied enthusiastically with the unspoken request and then they tugged Tulio's shirt out of his pants and yanked it over his head together, tousling the black wavy hair in the process. At last Miguel took off his own shirt as well and pulled Tulio towards him so he could lean his back against the other's naked chest and rest his head on one shoulder.

He frowned for a moment, then pushed a slightly confused Tulio back up again to be held by Chel, so he could open his pants, which she assumed were getting too tight by now. Chel was happily distracting Tulio until Miguel was settled by massaging his neck and rubbing her clit against his hardness in tiny circles. The movements left wet stains where her loincloth had gotten pushed aside and caused Tulio to whimper in desperation, hands running up and down her legs. Chel's insides fluttered with excitement at the sounds he was making and she felt herself getting even more wet and swollen than she already was. Meanwhile Miguel had managed to get rid of his trousers and tugged gently at Tulio's shoulders, snuggling up against him again once more.

„Aaah...much better", he sighed, nuzzled Tulio's neck with a grin and stretched out his hands to grope Chel's breasts. She smirked at them and pushed her hips forward, making both men groan with pleasure at the same time.

All this attention bestowed upon Tulio seemed to have had a rejuvenating effect on him for he grabbed Chel by the hips and thrust against her impatiently. She gasped with pleasure as this sent sparks of pleasure through her body.

Soon she was moaning even more when Tulio caressed her breasts with his hands and mouth, sucking and twirling his tongue around her nipples, while Miguel in turn snuck _his_ hand between their legs, opening Tulio's belt with deft fingers and freeing his erection.

Both of them together swiftly rid Chel of the last bits of clothing. No words were needed. She was more than ready and so were they: With Tulio's hands wrapped around her butt and Miguel's fingers spreading her open she settled herself above Tulio's eagerly waiting cock and took him into her hot, wet cunt in one fell swoop.

„Oh yes!" Chel locked her mouth on Tulio's, steadying herself with one hand around his neck and rode him wildly. The hands on her hips were setting a fast rhythm. Closed eyes and rapidly quickening breathing; Tulio being pushed against an equally gasping Miguel who alternated between throwing his head back and biting Tulio's neck and shoulder. He would be blue and purple after this.

Chel took one of Miguel's hands which were caressing Tulio's chest and put it between her legs.

He knew exactly what she wanted; immediately starting to play with her clit in addition to Tulio moving inside her. She could tell from his groans that he wouldn't last much longer with her riding him and Miguel panting in his ear like this, hard prick squeezed against Tulio's backside. Neither would she.

Miguel pulled her in for a deep kiss and with her breasts pressing against heated skin and fingers burrowing in her hair she came hard, screaming and thrashing her hips about in ecstasy.

The sudden hot, twitching tightness of her climax sent Tulio over the edge too, cursing loudly he pushed deep one last time and spilled himself inside her.

Gasping for air they leaned on the other person as the aftershocks of their respective orgasms ran through their bodies, planting short kisses on each other's lips between hitched breaths.

Miguel gave them about a minute to collect themselves before he cleared his throat and pointedly rubbed his hard-on against his lover, reminding them that they weren't all finished yet. They chuckled apologetically and Tulio half turned around so he could kiss Miguel languidly and run his hands through sweaty blonde strands while Chel was by mutual agreement assigned the honourable task of sneaking her hand around him, taking Miguel in her hand and stroking him to completion. Miguel got to put his hands on whichever body parts were within his reach and he made quite good use of this opportunity.

Seeing as their performance before had him quite excited already it didn't take long for Miguel to come too, shooting hot seed all over Tulio's back with a satisfied sigh.

When the throbbing had subsided he leaned back and embraced Tulio who put his head on Miguel's shoulder and just tried to get his breathing even again. Chel who was still breathing heavily as well rolled off them and sprawled on the ground with her legs still lying vaguely diagonally over Tulio's. She looked over to Miguel from under long lashes and eyes crinkling with hidden laughter.

Miguel ran his hands over Tulio's torso and asked with a wicked grin: „So. Tulio. Feeling better now?"


	8. Bonus Chapter: Tarragonian Nights

TARRAGONA, 1516

It was a slow night.

The weather was chilly with bits of fog and thus the two of them had opted for playing cards in a tavern instead of shell games on the streets, their newest shtick. That would have been fine if there had actually been any card players in the bar. However, there weren't any; their absence forcing Miguel and Tulio to sit at a table in the corner and drinking their wine as slowly as possible lest they wanted to spend money on a new one or be kicked out.

Their mood improved considerably when two women entered the bar.

Tulio and Miguel exchanged knowing glances and smirked at each other. Both sets of eyes had immediately settled on the same ample cleavage, not to mention the luscious chestnut hair and tanned skin. Maybe no card games but otherwise their night had potentially just gotten infinitely better. Not to mention that if things went according to plan at least one of them would have a really nice place to sleep for tonight.

The two men watched the women chatter quietly amongst themselves. The one they had their eyes on was probably a good bit older than Tulio and Miguel and looked stunning, the other was younger and plainer looking. Both wore simple dresses which were nonetheless of of a distinctly better quality than most others here. A wealthy widow or bored wife in search of an adventure and her maid or lady friend. They knew the type. It was the best type.

„Bet you the next round you can't get with her.", said Tulio with a leer and took a sip from his wine.

„Two rounds and I can."

„Three's for me."

„On.", said Miguel and drank up. „So who goes first?"

Tulio pulled a coin out of his vest and balanced it on his thumb. He raised an eyebrow at his partner.

„Heads for me, tails for you?", he asked innocently. Miguel smiled and made a sweeping gesture with his hand for Tulio to throw, which he did.

It came up tails, causing Tulio to take a double-take. How...? That was supposed to be his double-headed coin!

„Guess it's me~!", said Miguel, snatched the coin up with a grin that was way too smug and sauntered off. Halfway to the bar he turned, waggled his eyebrows and mouthed 'I switched the coins' at his partner.

„Oh you...!", Tulio said and pointed an accusing finger at Miguel but there wasn't much he could do except fume silently in a mixture of outrage and admiration while his friend had somehow already naturally inserted himself into the women's conversation and was flirting heavily.

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* * *

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Things seemed to be going well for Miguel except that 'María', when she wasn't touching his arm or fluttering her eyelashes at him, kept sneaking glances at Tulio over her cheap blue fan who, to Miguel's annoyance, ran his hands through his hair in a very attractive manner and sent flirty looks back. He was getting mixed signals here and he told her so. She had the decency to blush and looked at him apologetically through beautiful dark brown eyes.

„Oh I am so sorry. How terribly rude of me", she said, playing with a loose thread on his neckline. „It is just...", she lowered her gaze in fake modesty.

Miguel inwardly rolled his eyes at the exaggerated acting but let her have her part. If she was trying to make him jealous so he'd try harder or make him feel like he'd 'won' when she'd take him home, so be it. Some men needed the validation and it was probably just her usual spiel.

„Well. I do admit that I find your friend quite attractive. And you two seemed rather... _close,_ so I've wondered if perhaps the two of you would consider...", she trailed off, looking up at him with raised eyebrows and biting her lip in what was supposed to convey embarrassment at making such a scandalous offer.

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Miguel couldn't see his own face but he would have given a lot to be able to do so. He had most certainly _not_ expected this.

He turned his head to look at Tulio, who questioningly raised an eyebrow at his friend's expression but Miguel ignored him. He looked back at María again, who was lightly caressing his arm and hand lying on the bar top.

„We~ll", said Miguel, making a split-second decision and leaned in. „I might be up for it. But I don't think Tulio would be." Miguel shook his head sadly and gestured with his hands in a way that indicated that maybe Tulio wasn't quite as open-minded as he was. Blatant lies were always worth a try.

She sighed.

„Well, I'm afraid my offer is only good for the two of you. I understand if you don't want to, of course. In that case I will just have to find someone else...", she began.

„Wait! Wait.", he said quickly and flashed her a charming smile. „I mean...I haven't even asked him yet, have I?"

„Oh please do, would you.", she said and vigorously fanned herself but he heard the smirk even if he couldn't see it.

Miguel looked at his partner again who had watched them with silent interest over the rim of his mug. He motioned with his head for Tulio to come over. Upon Tulio's confused frown they exchanged raised eyebrows, nodding, cocking of heads, eyebrow waggling and finger pointing for a few seconds until Tulio, with a decidedly smug air about him, drank up and joined them.

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* * *

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They followed María into a big house in a _very_ nice part of the town, a fact that worried Tulio but María assured them that her husband was out of town until next week. It was good enough as far as Miguel was concerned and the expensive knick-knacks everywhere certainly helped to alleviate Tulio's fears; mostly by squashing them in greed.

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After a night of thorough debauchery they woke the next morning well rested and manically grinning at each other over the satin pillows of an obscenely large bed.

María still asleep between them they were then having a rather heated but silent debate on whether or not they should wake her up and try their luck for a second round (Miguel) or sneak out of the huge bedroom decorated in red and gold and make off with some valuables (Tulio) or possibly both (disagreement on the likelihood of success).

They never did reach a conclusion because just as Miguel was contemplating using The Face the wooden double door flew open with a loud bang and a short, muscular and currently very enraged man with a frighteningly large mustache stormed in, startling María awake and Tulio and Miguel into a high-pitched shriek.

„Eulalia!", he thundered over the girly screams of Tulio and Miguel. He spotted the two young men lying in his wife's bed. „I knew it! I knew it! You lying, cheating _bitch_!", he shouted and drew an extremely sharp-looking sword.

„Cristóbal!", shouted Eulalia, formerly María, struggled to get off the bed as quickly as she could and ran towards her husband.

„Cristóbal, please! Don't-", she pleaded but he forcefully pushed her aside and focused on Tulio and Miguel who were falling all over themselves in their attempts to get out of the bed and as far away from him as possible. Thankfully they managed to get the bed between them and the raging maniac that was Eulalia's husband.

„Two at once too! You filthy, little whore! And you-!", he pointed his sword at them.

„I am Don Cristóbal Diego José de Rodriguez y Velázquez. You have defiled my wife and dishonoured my name! Prepare for your death!"

Bristling with anger and ignoring his wife's appeals for mercy he was slowly striding around the bed towards them, the two naked men stumbling backwards until they hit the wall on the opposite side.

„Please, Señor!", stammered Miguel as Tulio was too terrified to get out a single word. „We're all civilized here! I understand your anger at this but could we talk about it first, yes?" He fumbled behind him for the window sill that he knew was there and exchanged a quick glance with Tulio, hissing 'window?' through gritted teeth.

„Window!", Tulio hissed back and nodded imperceptibly, never taking his eyes off Don Cristóbal Diego José de Rodriguez y Velázquez who roared: „Silence!" and lifted his sword.

„No! Please!", cried Eulalia and tried to stand in his way again. „It was all my fault!"

„Uh, uh she's right you know!", said Tulio, thinking quickly. „We didn't know she was married! I swear! Please!" He stepped sideways so he covered Miguel and waved his arms imploringly while Miguel unfastened the latches on the window behind his back.

„After all, isn't she the one who made any vows to you? Who promised to be faithful to you until death do you part?", he rambled on.

Eulalia shot him a death glare but it seemed to be working on her husband who had lowered his sword a promising bit and was looking at his wife with narrowed eyes as he considered this for a moment.

„Now!", yelled Miguel, smacking the window open and they turned on their heels as one man and scrambled through it as fast as possible, knocking flower pots off the small balcony in front of it. Miguel hopped on the balustrade and, as agile as a monkey and wearing about as many clothes, jumped up and got hold of the gutter, climbing onto the roof, where he immediately extended a hand to Tulio and pulled him up as well. Tulio had never been more glad about Miguel's past as an artiste than when he felt Don Cristóbal's blade swish the air mere centimeters below his left foot.

Hands and feet slipping on clay tiles wet from the morning dew they scaled the rooftop to the irate shouts of their pursuer and slid down on the other side where Tulio only barely snatched Miguel back from falling off. Their eyes darted around in blind panic for a few seconds as they tried to regain their balance.

„Over there!", shouted Miguel and made a beeline for the clothesline he had just spotted on the next house, Tulio hot on his heels.

„Oh no! No, no, no, no, no Migueeeel!", called Tulio, skidding after his partner, but the blond man was already vaulting over the edge of the roof and clutching a yellowed shirt. The line sagged instantly but didn't tear and Miguel somersaulted himself safely to the ground. He whipped his head around to his friend who was still balancing on the roof, trying not to fall off.

„Tulio! Jump! I'll catch you!", he shouted and extended his arms.

Tulio hesitated for another moment, silently prayed to a God he didn't believe in and took a leap of faith. He managed to grab the line - which predictably tore with a loud ripping sound and Tulio fell with a scream, landing on Miguel and knocking them both to the ground.

Groaning but in one piece they tried to sort out their limbs. The process was sped up astoundingly by the angry cries of „Sánchez! Pérez! García! Get those men!" as Don Cristóbal burst through his house's back door, gesticulating wildly with his sword and being followed by a number of armed men.

Miguel and Tulio didn't waste their breath screaming as they scrambled to their feet and legged it with the speed of mortal fear.

They ran blindly, turning left and right at random, swerving into alleyways and – when they reached a market – climbing over and rolling under tables full of fruit and vegetables to the laughter, gasps and surprised, offended or angry screams of the citizens of Tarragona; leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Twice it was only Tulio's quick reaction saving Miguel; once from getting his head kicked in by a donkey and once from being overrun by a cart.

Panting and clutching their sides, they swung around another corner and this time their luck ran out as they collided with the massive warhorse having it's hooves shoed at a smithy. The blacksmith's boy was holding it and so it might have been alright had the blacksmith himself not been holding a red-hot horseshoe in his tongs at this exact moment.

The horse balked, the blacksmith cursed and Tulio howled when half a horseshoe imprinted itself on his butt in white, agonizing pain.

„Fuck! Tulio!"

Miguel grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him into the water trough next to them, falling in himself the next second when the surprised Tulio grabbed his arm for balance.

Coughing and sputtering they emerged again to the incoherent cursing and yelling of the blacksmith and shouts of „There they are! At the smithy!"

„Run! Run, run, run!", yelped Tulio, leaped out of the trough and started to do just that, survival instinct considerably stronger than the pain and exhaustion he was currently in. He looked back in utter horror when he realized his partner hadn't followed him: Instead he had vaulted on the horse and snatched the reins!

„Miguel, are you crazy?!", he gasped and forgot to run for a moment.

„We need speed!", Miguel yelled back and dug in his heels. The horse reared up and both the blacksmith and his boy decided that getting the hell out of the way was the sensible option right now. „Hand!", he shouted as he was galloping towards Tulio, who stretched out his arm and started to run again. Miguel leaned over the side of the horse, gripped Tulio's wrist in full gallop, pulled him up and threw him over the back of the horse in front of him.

„Miguel you're completely nuuuuuuuuuuts!", screamed Tulio and held on for dear life as the horse, fed up with all the noise, his uneven hooves and the crazy people on top of him, bolted.

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* * *

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They were way out of the city when they finally stopped. Miguel was a decent rider but having to sit stark naked without a saddle on a bolting horse while also trying to keep an equally naked and screaming Tulio from falling off said horse was challenging even for him.

In other words: that they didn't die was a miracle of a magnitude that made Tulio seriously reconsider his atheism and thinking of donating a lot of money to the church. Once they had some again.

Of course the horse then threw them into a bunch of thistles by the roadside.

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* * *

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Groaning in pain from being scratched, bruised and – in Tulio's case – burned, not to mention their lungs being at the point of near-collapse they just kept lying there for a good fifteen minutes, unable to do anything other than attempt get their breath back. The horse had trotted off.

„I can't feel my legs", said Tulio finally.

„Really? Because I can feel mine very well. I can feel _everything.",_ moaned Miguel.

Tulio didn't even answer, he just hissed as he started to carefully extract himself from the local flora, several parts of it poking him in the fresh burn on his butt in the process.

Once they had managed to get out of the undergrowth they surveyed the damage, plucking bits of thistles off each other.

Either one of them had bruises, scrapes and lacerations all over their body. Tulio had lost his ribbon and both their hair was sticking in all directions at once, with pieces of mashed fruits and even more thistles stuck in it for good measure. Miguel had twisted his ankle. Tulio had his burn.

„Could you take a look at my butt?", he asked and held his aching back. It hurt like hell.

Miguel did, noisily sucking in air through his teeth when he looked at the blistering red spot. Tulio closed his eyes.

„How bad is it?"

„You don't want to know, partner", said Miguel and shook his head.

„Fuck.", said Tulio and that was really all there was to say.

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* * *

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Beaten, bloody and bruised they eventually set off towards a village visible in the distance, the nearest place that was Not Tarragona. Arms around each other's shoulders for support they stumbled through the fields, a blazing midday sun burning their skin to a crisp. It was going to be a long walk.

„What do you think will happen to Eulalia?", asked Miguel. Tulio grimaced, then shrugged.

„I hope she doesn't get killed. That's the extent of my sympathy", he said in a miffed voice and stopped to regard his foot. He had just stepped into something squishy.

„On second thought: if her husband doesn't kill her, I might", he added, holding onto Miguel for support as he attempted to wipe the countryside off his feet.

„But for that we'd have to go back into the city.", Miguel pointed out and raised an eyebrow.

„On third thought, maybe I'll let her live."

They limped on in silence.

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* * *

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"About that bet... Draw?"

"Draw."

Pause.

"And I won't hold the fake coin against you."

"The fake coin I didn't use because you swapped it?"

"That's the one."


End file.
